Thermal control system and method

ABSTRACT

A system and method for controlling the temperature of a process tool uses the vaporizable characteristic of a refrigerant that is provided in direct heat exchange relation with the process tool. Pressurized refrigerant is provided as both condensed liquid and in gaseous state. The condensed liquid is expanded to a vaporous mix, and the gaseous refrigerant is added to reach a target temperature determined by its pressure. Temperature corrections can thus be made very rapidly by gas pressure adjustments. The process tool and the operating parameters will usually require that the returning refrigerant be conditioned and processed for compatibility with the compressor and other units, so that cycling can be continuous regardless of thermal demands and changes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/546,307,filed Oct. 12, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,415,835, issued Aug. 26, 2008.That application was a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/057,383, filed Feb. 15, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,353, issuedFeb. 20, 2007. That prior application relied for priority on ProvisionalPatent Application No. 60/546,059 filed Feb. 19, 2004, entitled“Transfer Direct of Saturated Fluid System”, and Provisional ApplicationNo. 60/576,705 filed Jun. 2, 2004, entitled “Transfer Direct HeatExchanger System”, both naming Kenneth W. Cowans, Glenn Zubillaga andWilliam W. Cowans as inventors. The disclosures of those documents areexpressly incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Thermal control units (TCUs), such as heating and chilling systems arewidely used to establish and maintain a process tool or other device ata selected and variable temperature. Typical examples of a modernthermal or temperature control unit are found in highly capitalintensive semiconductor fabrication facilities. Stringent spatialrequirements are placed on the TCUs, in order to preserve expensivefloor space as much as possible. Reliability must be assured, becausethe large capital equipment costs required do not tolerate downtime inoperation if profitable performance is to be obtained. The targettemperature may be changed for different fabrication steps, but must beheld closely until that particular step is completed. In many industrialand common household refrigeration systems the purpose is to lower thetemperature to a selected level, and then maintain the temperaturewithin a temperature range that is not highly precise. Thus even thoughreliable and long-lived operation is achieved in these commercialsystems, the performance is not up to the demands of highly technicalproduction machinery.

In most modern TCUs actual temperature control of the tool or process isexercised by use of an intermediate thermal transfer fluid which iscirculated from the TCU through the equipment and back again in a closedcycle. A thermal transfer fluid is selected that is stable in a desiredoperating range below its boiling temperatures at the minimum operatingpressure of said fluid. It also must have suitable viscosity and flowcharacteristics within its operating range. The TCU itself employs arefrigerant, usually now of an ecologically acceptable type, to provideany cooling needed to maintain the selected temperature. The TCU maycirculate the refrigerant through a conventional liquid/vapor phasecycle. In such cycles, the refrigerant is first compressed to a hot gasat high pressure level, then condensed to a pressurized liquid. The gasis transformed to a liquid in a condenser by being passed in closethermal contact with a cooling fluid; it is either liquid cooled by thesurrounding fluid or directly by environmental air. The liquidrefrigerant is then lowered in temperature by expansion through a valveto a selected pressure level. This expansion cools the refrigerant byevaporating some of the liquid, thereby forcing the liquid toequilibrate at the lower saturation pressure. After this expansivechilling, the refrigerant is passed into heat exchange relation with thethermal transfer fluid to cool said thermal transfer fluid, in order tomaintain the subject equipment at the target temperature level. Then therefrigerant is returned in vapor phase to the pressurization stage. Asource of heating must usually be supplied to the thermal transfer fluidif it is needed to raise the temperature of the circulated thermaltransfer fluid as needed. This is most often an electrical heater placedin heat exchange with the circulated fluid and provided with power asrequired.

Such TCUs have been and are being very widely used with many variants,and developments in the art have lowered costs and improved reliabilityfor mass applications. In mass produced refrigerators, for example, tensof thousands of hours of operation are expected, and at relativelylittle cost for maintenance. However, such refrigeration systems areseldom capable of operating across a wide temperature range, and lowercost versions often use air flow as a direct heat exchange medium forthe refrigerated contents.

In contrast, the modern TCU for industrial applications has to operateprecisely, is a typical requirement being ±<1° C., at a selectedtemperature level, and shift to a different level within a wide range(e.g. −40° C. to +60° C. for a characteristic installation). Typicalthermal transfer fluids for such applications include a mixture ofethylene glycol and water (most often in deionized form) or aproprietary perfluorinated fluid sold under the trademark “Galden” or“Fluorinert”. These fluids and others have found wide use in thesehighly reliable, variable temperature systems. They do not, however,have high thermal transfer efficiencies, particularly the perfluorinatedfluids, and impose some design demands on the TCUs. For example, energyand space are needed for a pumping system for circulating the thermaltransfer fluid through heat exchangers (HEXs) and the controlled tool orother equipment. Along with these energy loss factors, there are energylosses in heat exchange due to the temperature difference needed totransfer heat and also losses encountered in the conduits coupling theTCU to and from the controlled equipment. Because space immediatelysurrounding the device to be cooled often at is a premium, substantiallengths of conduit may be required, which not only introduces energylosses but also increases the time required to stabilize the temperatureof the process tool. In general the larger the volume of the TCU thefarther the TCU needs to be located remotely from the device to becontrolled. The fluid masses along the flow paths require time as wellas energy to compensate for the losses they introduce. Any change intemperature of the device to be controlled must also affect the conduitsconnecting the TCU and the controlled device along with the thermaltransfer fluid contained in said conduits. This is because the thermaltransfer fluid is in intimate thermal contact with the conduit walls.Thus, the fluid emerging at the conduit end nearest the controlleddevice arrives at said device at a temperature substantially equal tothat of the conduit walls and these walls must be changed in temperaturebefore the controlled device can undergo a like change in temperature.

Under the continuing demand for improved systems and results, there is aneed for a TCU which minimizes these losses. If possible, the systemshould also be compact, of low capital cost, and preserve or evenincrease the long life and reliable characteristics which have becomeexpected.

To the extent that straightforward refrigeration systems may havehitherto employed a refrigerant without a separate thermal transferfluid, it has been considered that the phase changes imposed during therefrigeration cycle prohibit direct use of the refrigerant at a physicaldistance outside the cycle. A conventional refrigerant inherently relieson phase changes for energy storage and conversion, so that there mustalso be a proper state or mix of liquid and vapor phases at each pointin the refrigeration cycle for stable and reliable operation of thecompressor and other components. Using a saturable fluid such as arefrigerant directly in heat exchange with a variable thermal loadpresents formidable system problems.

The present application teaches for the first time a system whichdirectly employs the high thermal transfer efficiency of a refrigerantmixture of liquid and vapor in a highly efficient system capable of veryfast temperature change response. It eliminates the need for substantialdelay times to correct temperature levels at the device beingcontrolled, as well as for substantial energy losses in conduits andHEXs, and the need for substantial time delays in shifting betweentarget temperatures at different levels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Systems and methods in accordance with the invention employ a variablephase refrigerant directly as a cooling or heating source throughout awide temperature range and with high speed response and high thermalefficiency. The refrigerant is maintained as a saturated mix of liquidand vapor during the principal part of its thermal control range and indirect contact with a controlled unit functioning as a variable heatload. The temperature of controlled equipment can be adjusted veryrapidly by variation of the pressure of the saturated fluid mix. Theenergy losses in conduits, HEXs and fluid masses are minimized and thedelay in temperature response of the cooled device due to the change intemperature of these components is substantially eliminated.

Systems and methods in accordance with the invention, in more specificexamples, compress a cycling refrigerant to a high temperature, highpressure state, but provide proportional control of a hot gas flow, aswell as a separate flow of a condensed liquid/vapor mist. Theliquid/vapor mist initially comprises an expanded flow of condensedrefrigerant, but is combined with a proportioned flow of hot gas,determined by a controller, in accordance with a chosen set point forthe controlled device. To this end the two flows are brought together ina mixing circuit, at which the saturated fluid is brought to a targettemperature and pressure and a pressure drop is introduced in theexpanded flow to compensate for flow nonlinearities inherent in theexpansion valve device. The saturated fluid itself is then transporteddirectly through the controlled process or equipment. The temperature ofthe controlled process or equipment is sensed and sent to thecontroller, which can vary the temperature of the controlled systemrapidly simply by pressure change. By thus changing the temperature ofthe medium effecting the cooling or heating, such change in temperaturecan be made available to the controlled device nearly immediatelyfollowing the pressure change. This eliminates many thermal energylosses and temperature changes arising from use of a separate thermaltransfer fluid in contrast with the controlled device.

The invention herein disclosed thus effectively can apply cooling orheating to a controlled device rapidly enough so as to counteract theeffects of a change in power applied to the controlled device andthereby keep the controlled device at an invariant temperature.

In moving the refrigerant through a complete continuous cycle forultimate direct heat transfer, a number of novel expedients are utilizedto assure that the phases of the refrigerant are stable throughout. Atthe compression step, for example, a balance of input temperature andpressure is maintained at the compressor by employing a desuperheatervalve responsive to the compressor input temperature, and a feed-throughloop with an electrical heater and heat exchange system is incorporatedso as to assure that the input flow at the compressor input is raised tothe proper range if necessary. This balance also assures thatrefrigerant returned to the compressor input is free of liquid as wellas in a selected pressure range. In addition, input pressure to thecompressor is limited by a close-on-rise valve in the return flow pathfrom the controlled process.

The path for flow of condensed refrigerant includes an externallystabilized conventional refrigeration thermostatic expansion valve(TXV), while the hot gas bypass flow path to the mixing circuit includesa proportional (or proportioning) valve. The proportional valve isresponsive to control signals from the controller system, which commandsthe proportions of flow to be such as to achieve the desired pressureand temperature of the delivered mixture.

The system can also heat outside the mixing range by utilizing only hotgas at the upper end of the temperature range. When a high controltemperature is needed that is attainable by using hot pressurized gasonly, the proportional valve is opened more fully and the thermalexpansion valve is shut down by action of a spring-loaded check valvewith a predetermined pressure relief load on the check valve's spring.The refrigerant may alternatively be heated externally to raise thetemperature even more. In this latter case a counter-current HEX canalso be employed to further extend the heating range upward intemperature in an efficient manner.

The system is arranged to enable the control of a unit across a range oftemperatures in not only the mixed fluid and hot gas modes, but also ina chilling mode using only thermal expansion of pressurized ambientrefrigerant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to thefollowing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a temperature control unit in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an alternate temperature control unit inaccordance with the invention using a different method of introducingelectrical heat to the system;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of steps followed in practicing methods inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a graphical chart of variations in pressure vs. enthalpyduring an energy transfer cycle in the system and method showing a cycleeffective at −20° C.;

FIG. 5 is a graphical chart of variations in pressure vs. enthalpyduring an energy transfer cycle in the system and method showing aheating cycle effective at over 120° C.;

FIG. 6 is a graphical chart of variations in pressure vs. enthalpyduring an energy transfer cycle in the system and method, showing acycle effective at +40° C.;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of details of a system feature for use inheating the output of the TCU above 120° C. employing an auxiliaryelectric heater and a counter current HEX in a system such as FIG. 1,and

FIG. 8 is a graphical chart of variations in pressure vs. enthalpyduring an energy transfer cycle in the system and method, showing acycle effective in heating at +40° C. using a heat pump capability ofthe unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A block diagram of a temperature control unit (TCU) 110 is depicted inFIG. 1 for operation principally in the range of approximately −50° C.to +140° C., by way of example only. Other temperature ranges may beutilized, depending upon the refrigerant and to some extent the load,but the example given assumes the use of refrigerant R507 as an example.TCU 110 can be a compact unit and is characterized by low cost as wellas moderate size, enhanced economy and rapid response. Temperaturelevels are to be held stable at different target levels irrespective ofthe lengths of the lines coupling associated devices. The TCU 110 inthis example is intended for the purpose of controlling the temperatureof a tool 112, such as a cluster tool for semiconductor fabrication.Such tools have internal passageways for passage of a thermal controlfluid. The TCU is intended to establish different target temperatures ofthe tool for operating cycles during different fabrication steps.

The system incorporates a controller 114, such as a proportional,integral, differential (PID) controller of the type described in U.S.Pat. No. 6,783,080 of Antoniou and Christofferson, which is suitable forreceiving a number of different types of commands and includes auser-friendly setup system. In the TCU 110, a compressor 158 is employedwhich may be a highly reliable yet low-cost commercial refrigerationcompressor providing a pressurized output of hot gas refrigerant atapproximately 120° C. at 400 psi or more at the output line 102. Thetemperature at the tool 112 is sensed by a transducer 118 located at thetool 112 and a measurement signal is returned to the controller 114.This temperature signal is used in the controller 114 for differentpurposes. For example, it can control both the opening of a controllableproportional valve 144 which supplies hot gas directly from thecompressor 58 output, and the flow of saturated fluid after liquefactionof the hot compressor output in condenser 156, so as to provide a mix ofliquid and gas at a desired temperature to the controlled device 112.

For these purposes, the hot gas flow from the compressor 158 branchesinto two flow paths, one of which enters a compressor control system 120including a conventional condenser 156 including a heat exchanger (HEX)104 that is liquid cooled by a facility water source 154. An air cooledcondenser could equally well be employed, and liquid cooling is chosenas an example only. Water is supplied to HEX 104 in condenser 156through either a controlled water valve 106 responsive to the outputpressure of compressor 158 or a controllable bypass valve 105 that isresponsive to the controller 114. Bypass valve 105 is activated whenevera maximum cooling effort is needed. Opening valve 105 assures that thecondenser 156 is supplied with the coldest water possible. This providesthe system with the maximum cooling output by assuring that thecondensing temperature is as low as possible. The output pressure ismeasured by a transducer which is contained in the coolant flowcontroller valve 106, which is a commercially available unit called acompressor head pressure regulator. This is conventionally applied torefrigeration systems used in applications in which the supply ofcooling water may be too cold or too abundant for one significant reasonor another. One typical application would use such a coolant flowcontroller to limit the supply of cooling water for reasons of economyor efficiency. In this invention the controller 106 is used for thispurpose as well, but controller 106 primarily functions so as tomaintain the output of the compressor 158 at a high pressure level formost operational modes. This high pressure is required for thecompressor to be available as a strong source of heat.

An auxiliary benefit to the use of coolant flow controller 106 is sothat the presently disclosed system can be a very efficient user ofcooling water. This water is typically supplied in semiconductorfabrication plants from a source refrigerated by a cooling tower orother approach. The power needed to run such cooling source is asignificant part of the total power used by the fabricationinstallation. The supply of cooling water from the source 154 to thecondenser HEX 104 is varied inversely in accordance with compressor 158output pressure so as to maintain a substantially constant compressoroutput pressure. The compressor control system 120 also includes aninteraction with a countercurrent subcooler 130. When such subcooler isused, said interaction includes the injection of the output from adesuperheater valve 134 into the outgoing path of said subcoolercombining the output of valve 134 with refrigerant gas being returnedfrom the tool 112, thereby cooling said outgoing return flow in saidsubcooler 130. This incoming opposite flow into an incorporatedsubcooler (which is optional for some applications) is directed intoexpansion and control circuits, described below. The incoming flow tocontrol the temperature of the tool through subcooler 130 is completedto the return flow input side of the subcooler 130 via the desuperheatervalve 134. This arrangement and its purposes are in accordance with U.S.Pat. No. 6,446,446 by William W. Cowans.

Also, a hot gas bypass valve (HGBV) 164 is placed between the compressoroutput and the compressor input. The HGBV allows flow to pass directlyfrom the compressor output to its input if the input pressure fallsbelow a preset level. The HGBV is a standard commercial refrigerationcontrol component. The pressure at the input to the compressor 158cannot be allowed to fall below a certain level, which level isdetermined by the compressor design. This is because refrigerationcompressors are lubricated by oil carried mixed in the refrigerant. Atsome low pressure the carryover of oil is inadequate to lubricate thecompressor machinery. Refrigeration compressors are also limited in thecompression ratio that can be experienced without damage occurring. Thisoccurs due to the adiabatic heating undergone by the gas as it iscompressed. At discharge gas temperatures over around 120° C.refrigeration compressors can give trouble. The HGBV 164 alleviates thisproblem.

The mechanism described above includes some standard approaches tocompressor management in commercial refrigeration equipment but includeunique approaches to the invention discussed herein, as shown in thesection describing operation of the system.

The fluid in the liquid line 132 from the subcooler 130 is paralleled bythe separate hot gas flow in hot gas line 159, and both lead to a mixingcircuit 140. The hot gas flow in line 159 traverses a proportional valve144, which valve is controlled by controller 114 signals which assureselected reduction in pressure in the hot gas flow provided into themixing circuit 140. The valve 144 varies the mass flow, which ultimatelyvaries the pressure. A separate input provided to the mixing circuit 140from the vapor/liquid line 132 is controlled via a thermal expansionvalve (TXV) 157. This operates as a normal refrigeration valve of thethermostatic expansion type. TXVs are diaphragm operated valves, oneside of which diaphragm is maintained at the refrigerant pressure at asuitable point in the low pressure refrigeration circuit which the otherside is at the saturation pressure of the temperature at substantiallythat same pressure point. A sensing bulb 124 placed at the latter pointin the circuit is filled with the refrigerant gas and thus exists at asaturation pressure corresponding to the point at which the bulb ismounted to supply this saturation pressure. In the TCU circuit shown inFIG. 1 conduit 149 communicates with output line 161 at a locationproximate to the bulb 124 and thus equalizes the pressure to thatpressure in the low pressure level proximate to bulb 124. This is calledexternal equalization.

If proportional valve 144 were to be fully closed, the TCU circuit shownin FIG. 1 would function as a normal vapor cycle refrigeration system.In this normal operation the TXV regulates the refrigeration output soas to produce the maximum refrigeration at which the system is capable.The action of the diaphragm-regulated TXV 157 throttles the flow of highpressure refrigerant liquid through the line in such manner as to supplythe maximum amount of expanded liquid-vapor mix that can be boiledcompletely to pure vapor. In the principal operating mode, however, TXV157 supplies a selected proportion of misted liquid vapor forcombination with the hot gas from valve 144 when valve 144 is not fullyclosed. As stated above, the TXV 157 is externally equalized by thepressure communicated via the conduit 149 with the return line from thetool 112. The TXV 157 output flows through a delta P valve 155, whichcomprises a spring-loaded check valve establishing a fluid pressure drop(delta p) between the output of the TXV 157 and the mixing Tee 165. Thetotal pressure across the delta P valve 155 is greater than the pressuredrop across a fully open proportional valve 144 in the hot gas line whenall the output of the compressor 159 is diverted to flow only acrossproportional valve 144. This establishes smooth control of the flowmixing from 100% hot gas to 100% expanded liquid, and overcomes thenon-linear characteristics of the TXV and the fact there is always apressure drop across the proportional valve 144 no matter how far it isopened. If the hot gas flow is full open, the check valve closes off theTXV. The output from the TXV 157 and the delta P valve 155 is thereforea saturated fluid whose temperature is essentially determined by thepressure at the output of the delta P valve 155. The pressure can bevaried rapidly by changing the setting of the proportional valve 144,which changes the mass flow and thus the pressure. Thus the temperaturecan almost instantaneously be adjusted to correct the temperature of thetool 112, as measured by a temperature sensor 118 responsive to the tooltemperature and signaling the controller 114.

The system also includes a “Close on Rise” (COR) valve 150 in the returnline from the tool 112 to act as a safeguard against excessive pressurebuildup in the pressure input at the compressor 158. This is acommercially available refrigeration component and is traditionally usedfor this purpose. In the subject invention it serves the same purposebut also allows the TCU to act as a heat pump as will be explainedbelow.

Solenoid valve 121 is shown in the hot gas line 159 leading to theproportioning valve 144. Valve 121, which has a rapid response time, isincluded because in some systems it is desirable that the flow of hotgas be interrupted instantaneously to achieve cooling without the delaythat might be incurred in the process of closing the proportioning valve144. There are also some requirements for TCU systems to control loadswhich need to be heated instantaneously as well. To accommodate these, asolenoid valve 122 can also be used to shunt the operation ofproportional valve 144. To aid in the operation of those systems inwhich heating needs to be applied suddenly another solenoid valve 109can be included in the line to the TXV 157 for the purpose of shuttingflow through TXV 157 substantially instantaneously. For systems needinginstantaneous cooling another solenoid valve 111 can be included toshunt the operation of TXV 157.

A receiver 108 is shown in FIG. 1. This is a relatively small reservoirfor refrigerant and is needed in some systems that have a requirement tohoard cooling potential while the process of heating proceeds apace. Areceiver is a device that takes the liquid output of the condenser 156and stores the condensed liquid if an amount of such liquid is producedin excess of that used by the TXV.

Downstream of the outputs of the proportional valve 144 and the TXV 157in the mixing circuit 140 the two streams of refrigerant are combined atthe mixing Tee 165. After such mixing has occurred the output flowtravels through supply line 113 to cool or heat the tool 112. Afterleaving tool 112 the mix of vapor and liquid returns to the TCU throughreturn line 160.

The first processing or conditioning of returning refrigerant thatoccurs in the TCU is electrical heating. This is driven by heater 117.In FIG. 1 it is shown as immersed in the liquid within a heatedaccumulator 116: This is one embodiment of the invention. In analternative version shown in FIG. 2 the heater is immersed in a HEX 216,placed in good thermal exchange relation with the refrigerant passingthrough HEX 216. The difference between heated accumulator 116 and HEX216 is that the accumulator has capacity for a significant amount ofliquid storage and the HEX has only capacity for that amount ofrefrigerant necessary to carry out the heat transfer function.

As the refrigerant passes out of either accumulator 116 (FIG. 1) or HEX216 (FIG. 2) it passes through return line 161 to which line areattached sensor bulb 124 and equalization line 149. Return line 161thence couples with the return passage of subcooler 130. Emerging fromsubcooler 130 the refrigerant passes into suction line 162 through whichthe refrigerant returns to the suction input 163 of compressor 158.

Operation of the System

A counter-intuitive refrigeration cycle has thus been disclosed, whichfocuses on maintaining a transitional phase of saturated fluid (mistedliquid and vapor) in a heat exchange relation with a system whosetemperature is to be controlled, as shown sequentially in the flow chartof FIG. 3. The use of the saturated phase together with appropriateinternal manipulation enables a refrigerant fluid and cycle to beemployed directly for temperature control, while phase change andstability barriers not previously surmounted are overcome. Byestablishing liquid droplets and vapor mist in equilibrium at a selectedpressure, the temperature is predetermined. Moreover, the capacity forthermal energy interchange is substantially higher than in a pure liquidor pure gaseous phase, because the dynamics of evaporation andliquefaction enhance the ability to transfer heat to a surface, asopposed to the strictly heat conductive effects existing in both thepure liquid and pure gas phases.

A temperature change with a fluid in the pure gas phase and atemperature change in the purely liquid phase are both dependent solelyupon thermal energy conduction. In the intermediate region, betweenthese pure mono-phase states a mixed liquid/vapor exists. Transport ofvapor into and out of the liquid droplets can be viewed as strictlydependent on pressure or temperature, with the lower the pressure thelower the temperature of evaporation. From an equilibrium temperature,however, heat is supplied to a cooling source until all of the vapor isliquefied, or heat is taken up in evaporation, at a substantiallyconstant temperature, until the entire mass is evaporated or condensed.This means that a liquid/vapor mix can be used as a constant temperaturesink or source and, contrary-wise, that by varying the pressure, thetemperature of a unit in thermal exchange relation with the liquid/vapormix can be varied. It is significant that this variation can beextremely rapid because of the fact that pressure changes aretransported through a fluid at the speed of sound; hundreds of metersper second.

Referring to FIG. 1 the crucial mixing zone comprises the elementswithin mixing system 140 which includes the hot gas output from theproportional valve 144 and the output of liquid and vapor from TXV 157,both of which branch from the compressor 158 output line 102. Using anoutput pressure of 400 psi, by way of example, the liquefied output fromthe cooled condenser 156 to the TXV 157 will be at a substantially likepressure. After expansion at the TXV 157, as commanded by controller114, the TXV 157 provides a misted liquid flow. This can be viewedclassically as a dispersion of droplets within a surrounding atmosphereof liquid vapor. The heat exchange characteristics of this misted liquidare in accordance with the equation set out by McAdams, W. H. in thebook “Heat Transmission”, Third Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, NewYork, 1954, p. 335 & 402. Combination of the misted liquid with acontroller-determined hot gas flow also incoming at the mixing head 165results in diminution by a controlled amount of the size of the dropletsbrought about by the need to equilibrate the temperature within thetotal mix of liquid and vapor from TXV 157 with the hot gas fromproportional valve 144. This process of mixing hot gas from 144 withliquid/vapor from TXV 157 thus can supply a controlled temperature andoutput pressure of refrigerant at the input to controlled tool 112.Mixing circuit 140 further includes the delta p valve 155, whichintroduces a pressure drop substantially no greater than the inherentdrop in the proportional valve 144, when said proportional valve 144 iswide open. Furthermore, the mixing head 165 and delta p valve 155prevent back-flow of the mix into the liquid/vapor line 132 when valve144 is wide open.

A typical refrigeration circuit (with subcooler) is shown as operatingin the classical thermodynamic cycle 401 to 402 to 403 to 404 to 405 andback to 401 in FIG. 4. By plotting pressure against enthalpy in thecircuit in this manner, one can see that the compressor 158 of FIG. 1drives the pressure upward and also drives the enthalpy higher, givingthe line 401 to 402 a slope showing increases in both amplitudes.Condensation of the compressed gas lowers the enthalpy, whilemaintaining the pressure, as shown by the constant pressure line402-403. This shift moves the refrigerant through the liquid dome shownon the PH chart, causing liquefaction of the refrigerant whilemaintaining the pressure. The evaporation point of the refrigerant isabout 45° C. at 400 psi. In the classical refrigeration cycle, thepressure is dropped to a selected level, without changing the enthalpy,as the refrigerant is expanded, as shown from points 404-405. Theexpanded refrigerant, released as liquid/vapor mixture, moves throughthe liquid dome transition in the line from 405-401, and is directedthrough the heat exchange area. The gas is recompressed following point401 and the cycle is repeated.

The present invention modifies the basic refrigeration cycle toaccomplish the objectives of a modern TCU with more flexibility. TheMollier diagram (a display of enthalpy versus temperature in thevicinity of the liquid dome) of refrigerant (type R 507) shown in FIG. 4shows the operation of the refrigerant in providing a flow of liquid andvapor at −20° C., which temperature is chosen as an example. Theinvention provides for a variation in the heating or coolingcapabilities of the fluid under rapid control of the unit. Therefrigeration cycle is shown from point 401 which is taken at thecompressor input 163 (FIG. 1). The gas is compressed to point 402, whichpoint is about 30 KPa (ca. 400 psig) at a temperature of about 120° C.Gas that enters the condenser 156 is cooled and liquefied to point 403at a temperature of around 60° C. This liquid is passed throughsubcooler 130. In this component the liquid is cooled by exchanging heatwith the refrigerant returning from the tool 112 in line 161. Liquidrefrigerant thus cooled in subcooler 130 is then expanded through TXV157 to point 404. At this point the refrigerant is at a temperature ofaround −20° C. and consists of about 50% gas and 50% liquid in thecurrent example. This is mixed with hot gas expanded throughproportional valve 144 and depicted on FIG. 4 by the dotted line pathfrom point 402 to point 406 which, in the present example would be at atemperature of about 85° C. The addition of heat from gas at 85° C.mixing with the liquid/vapor at point 405 results in a total mix atpoint 407. This controlled mix is about 70% gas and 30% liquid. Theaddition of the hot gas has boiled off the difference of 50% liquid atpoint 405 and the hot gas added has been cooled to −20° C. In theexample given the mixture boils off liquid in cooling the tool 112 andfurther heats as it gains heat from the surrounding environment to point408. This gas then enters subcooler 130 and is heated close to ambienttemperature by absorbing heat from the counterflowing liquid refrigerantbeing cooled from 403 to 404, then drops in pressure and increases inenthalpy to point 401 wherein the cycle is repeated.

In consequence, as one can deduce from a study of FIG. 4, there is arange of operation in which the liquid/vapor mix, dependent upon thepressures maintained, stabilizes the temperature of the tool 112. If thetool is giving up heat to the fluid, and is to maintain a giventemperature T, shown as −20° C. in FIG. 4 as an example, as determinedat the tool 112 by the sensor 118, pressure is adjusted in the flow ofvapor/liquid in supply line 113 by adjusting the opening of valve 144 tochange the mass flow rate. This alters the temperature accordingly inline 113 as vapor and liquid equilibrate at the adjusted saturationtemperature in order to hold the temperature of the tool constant. Incases of extreme heating the flow from the TXV 157 can be shut offentirely by fully opening the proportional valve 144. In this case theentire flow though the tool 112 is derived (see FIG. 4) from the flow ofgas at point 406. This gas is at a temperature around 80° C. and thuscan heat tool 112 rapidly.

The system is further stabilized by the external equalization feedbackpath from a pressure bulb 124 at the tool 112 output. As is known withthermal expansion valves, transmission of the pressure return to TXV 157from the pressure line 149 helps to assure that there is no offsetbecause of any pressure losses in the lines or in the tool 112.

The invention can be used to provide heat at an elevated temperatureoutside the bounds limited by the liquid dome. FIG. 5 shows theoperation of the invention in this mode, in which the system operatesboth inside and outside the zone of liquefaction in adjusting thermalenergy. The operation depends on the addition of a heater at the outputof the mixing circuit 140. FIG. 7 shows alternatives to the basic systempresented in FIG. 1 that are employed to incorporate this ability. Inthe supply line 113 to the tool 112 downstream of mixing circuit 140 anelectrical heater 702 is placed in good thermal contact with the supplyline 113. A counter current HEX 701 is also placed in line 113 andadditionally intercepts return line 160 to receive the outgoing flowfrom tool 112. The use of a counter current HEX to isolate thetemperature of line 113 on the side of HEX 701 that is closest to thetool from the line 160 into the other side of HEX 701 allows theattainment of even higher temperatures. With this feature refrigerantgas at temperatures as high as 260° C. or even higher can be supplied totool 112.

FIG. 5 shows the thermodynamic performance of the TCU fitted with asubsystem such as in FIG. 7. Refrigerant gas enters the compressor atpoint 507. It is then compressed to about 30 KPa at point 501 where thegas enters HEX 701. In the countercurrent HEX 701 the input gas isheated to point 502 in absorbing heat from the outgoing gas as it iscooled from point 508 to point 505. The electrical heater 702 then heatsthe input gas from point 502 to point 503 which is the temperature atwhich the gas enters tool 112, assuming there is negligible loss in gastemperature as it passes from heater 702 to tool 112 through line 113.The gas is cooled in the process of heating tool 112 from point 504 topoint 508. At point 508 the gas enters HEX 701 and cools to point 505 inheating the input gas on the other side of HEX 701. The gas then passesthrough COR valve 150 and drops to a pressure at point 506 suitable forthe compressor 158 input. The gas would be ready to restart its cycleand be compressed again except it is too hot for successful operation ofthe compressor. In the system of FIG. 1, however, the hot gas mixes withthe output of desuperheater valve 134 which is opened in response to thesensor 126 at the compressor 158 input. This action adds a fraction ofcondensed refrigerant at the return side of the subcooler 130. Thecombination of the condensed liquid fraction from the condenser 156,which is at point 511 in FIG. 5 with the returning hot gas (lowered inpressure to point 510), provides the input gas at a temperatureappropriate for compressing at point 507. The system therefore operates,after compression and condensation, in a hot gas mode outside thethermodynamic liquid dome demarcated in pressure and enthalpyparameters.

The operation of COR valve 150 can come into play at lower temperaturesunder particular circumstances. If the TCU is called into operation at atemperature significantly over 10° C. the pressure at which liquid andgas equilibrate in the refrigerant will be too high for successfulcompression in conventional compressors. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, CORvalve 150 protects the compressor 158 when, as is shown in FIG. 6, theTCU is being called on to cool a load at 40° C. (in a manner similar tothat shown in FIG. 4 wherein the tool was cooled with refrigerant at−20° C.). FIG. 6 shows the gas being compressed from point 601 to point602. Some of this gas then is condensed at the same pressure to point603 and expanded through TXV valve 157 to point 604. The remainder ofthe compressed gas is allowed to pass through the proportional valve 144to point 605. The two streams are then combined in mixing circuit 140 toexit at an intermediate pressure and enthalpy point 607. The liquid inthis mixture, which is supplied to the tool 112, is then evaporated incooling tool 112 to point 608. The gas at this point is then processedautomatically in COR valve 150 to expand to a lower pressure suitable toenter compressor 158 at point 601. The cycle then repeats.

The TCU can perform as a heat pump in supplying heat at a desired point.This is shown in FIG. 8 which should also be considered along withFIG. 1. The operation shown herein is for supplying close to maximumheating at a temperature around 40° C. After being compressed from point801 to point 802 most of the hot gas from compressor 158 is passedthrough the proportional valve 144 to a lowered pressure at point 805.Controller 114 mixes an amount of condensed but high pressure liquid atpoint 803 that has been expanded through TXV 157 to point 809 with thegas at point 805 to provide a mixture at point 810. The combination isthen passed through tool 112 giving up heat to tool 112 in condensingliquid to point 804. If the mix at point 804 were to be passed throughCOR valve 150 and input for compression in compressor 158 there would beso much liquid in the mix at point 804 that the compressor energy wouldbe dissipated in evaporating liquid and the output pressure ofcompressor 158 would be too low. A pressure switch 168, shown in FIG. 1senses this and activates heater 117 whenever the pressure sensed byswitch 168 is below the threshold value. This action heats theliquid/vapor mix at point 811 and heats it to point 808 outside theliquid where it enters COR valve 150 and expands to point 801 where itthen is all gas and ready to be recompressed.

There are, however, a number of other factors that can arise,particularly with respect to improvement of energy efficiency and safe,reliable operation. At the input to the compressor 158 the return linefrom the tool 112 passes through the subcooler 130, acting to exchangeheat energy between the condensed fluid from the condenser 156 andminimize loss of thermal energy by further cooling the fluid in theliquid line 132. To assure that the mass flow at the compressor 158input is sufficient, and above a potentially damaging minimum a loopfrom the output of the compressor 158 is fed through the HGBV valve 164which ensures that the input to the compressor does not fall below afixed pressure. The desuperheater valve 134 with a sensing bulb 126 atthe compressor input ensures that the input to compressor 158 is coolenough for proper operation. The output of the desuperheater valve 134is first passed through the liquid in the receiver 108, when a receiveris used, and then feeds back to the return line into subcooler 130,which passes through to the compressor 158.

A separate control is effected at the condenser 156. When the compressor158 output is sensed by the pressure sensor 118, and a signal isreturned to the controller 114, the consequent variation of the facilitywater source 154 assures that the condenser 156 is cooled sufficientlyby the HEX 104 to maintain the refrigerant flow in the liquid line 132substantially constant.

This system therefore provides a highly efficient heat exchange systemin which the refrigerant is used directly under variable load conditionsbut maintained in a controlled, misted liquid/vapor phase when incontact with the tool 112. This control in a principal mode ismaintained by the controller 114 adjusting the proportions of the hotgas and the expanded liquid refrigerant at a selected pressure asdetermined by the heating or cooling needs of the tool 112 at a specifictarget temperature. Subsequent heat exchange in the tool itself may welloccur, and the system and method stabilize or condition the refrigerantthroughout the cycle. In the hot gas mode, with no flow in the liquidline 132, the proportional valve 144 is opened to create the flow rateand temperature at the tool needed for maintenance of the targettemperature, which with R507 refrigerant is thereby approximately 150°or more. For employing refrigerant in the lowest temperature range, onlyliquid line 132 need be used, and the TXV 157 is controlled to provide acooling output to the tool 112 down to about −40° C.

As previously noted, other refrigerants can be used and the system canbe designed to operate in a different mixed mode cycle of higher orlower value than the figures given.

It is to be appreciated that although different flow and variations havebeen disclosed the invention is not limited thereto but encompasses allalternatives and expedients within the scope of the appended claims.

1) A system for controlling the temperature of a process unit adaptedfor thermal energy exchange comprising: a pressurizing circuit for arefrigerant fluid, the pressurizing circuit including a compressor andcondenser in series, and a bypass path from the compressor about thecondenser; alternate control loops for flowing the refrigerant fluidfrom the pressurizing circuit through the process unit, a first controlloop being in the bypass path and including a proportioning valve foradjusting the hot gas flow proportion, a second control loop from thecondenser including an expansion valve for varying the fluid pressure byexpanding the refrigerant to the vapor thereof, and a mixing circuitresponsive to the controller for supplying combined output from thecontrol loops in heat exchange relation directly to the process unit. 2)A system as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the refrigerant issupplied as a saturated fluid and the system includes conditionercircuits for cycling the refrigerant back from the process unit to thepressurizing circuit as an input gas. 3) A system as set forth in claim2 above, wherein the pressurizing circuit further includes a variablecoolant supply for the condenser, a pressure sensor responsive to thecompressor output, and a control responsive to compressor outputpressure for varying the coolant flow supplied to the condenser. 4) Asystem as set forth in claim 2 above, wherein the system includes asubcooler coupled to the condenser output and to the process unit tointerchange thermal energy between returned fluid and outgoing fluid. 5)A system as set forth in claim 4 above, further including a heater inthe path of returned fluid to the compressor and responsive to theoutput pressure of the compressor to heat the returned fluid to asuitable level. 6) A system as set forth in claim 5, above, including adesuperheater valve coupled in loop about the subcooler, between thecondenser output and the return flow input, the desuperheater valvebeing responsive to compressor input temperature to open and supply coldfluid when compressor input temperature is above a selected range, suchthat the heater and the desuperheater valve function to provide adequatepressurization energy for the process unit. 7) A system as set forth inclaim 2 above, wherein the second control loop includes a thermalexpansion valve externally equalized to the output pressure from theprocess unit, and the mixing circuit includes a differential pressurecompensation valve between the junction between the first and secondcontrol loops and the thermal expansion valve. 8) A system as set forthin claim 2 above, wherein the refrigerant fluid is R507 refrigerant andthe return path from the process tool to the compressor includes anaccumulator including a heater circuit responsive to the output pressurefrom the compressor. 9) A system as set forth in claim 2 above,including in addition a controller responsive to the temperature of theprocess tool and coupled to control the flow controls in the system,including the proportional valve and the thermal expansion valve. 10) Asystem as set forth in claim 9 above, further including separatesolenoid valves responsive to the controller and individually in circuitwith the first and second control loops for rapid control of theoperation of the loops. 11) A thermal control unit for maintaining athermal load system having a variable heat load at a selectedtemperature within a predetermined range using a refrigerant that isvaporizable at a temperature within the range and comprising: acompressor receiving the refrigerant in gaseous form and generating hightemperature pressurized refrigerant as a gas therefrom; a condensersystem receiving the pressurized gas and cooling the refrigerant to apressurized liquid; a refrigerant expansion device receiving thepressurized fluid in a first path, for expanding the refrigerant to aliquid/vapor mix; a controllable proportional valve device receiving thepressurized gas in a second path and providing a variable mass flow; amixer circuit receiving the flows in the first and second paths forproviding a saturated fluid flow of liquid/vapor mix at a chosentemperature, and a flow loop for supplying this thermal load system withthe mixed saturated fluid flow and then recycling the flow to thecompressor. 12) A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 11 above,further including a controller responsive to the temperature of thethermal load system and coupled to the proportional valve device foradjusting the pressure in the second path to maintain the thermal loadsystem at a target temperature within the predetermined range because ofheat exchange between the refrigerant and the variable thermal load ofthe system. 13) A thermal control system as set forth in claim 12 aboveincluding in addition processing units in the recycling portion of theloop to the compressor and responsive to the pressure and temperature ofthe refrigerant for providing the input refrigerant returned to thecompressor as a gas within selected temperature and pressure ranges. 14)A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 13 above wherein theprocessing circuits include a heater device disposed in the return flowpath from the thermal load system and responsive to the pressure of thecompressor output. 15) A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 11above, including in addition a differential pressure valve in the firstpath between the expansion device and the mixer circuit forsubstantially equalizing the pressure drop across the proportional valvein the second path. 16) a thermal control unit as set forth in claim 15above, wherein the differential pressure valve comprises a spring-loadedcheck valve establishing a fixed pressure drop in the first path forsmooth control of mixing despite non-linearity of the expansion device.17) A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 11 above, furtherincluding a controller for closing the first path and opening the secondpath to increase the range of temperatures of operation of the thermalload system. 18) A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 17 above,further including heater means between the mixer circuit and the thermalload system and responsive to the controller for increasing enthalpy ofthe pressurized gas from the second path. 19) A thermal control unit asset forth in claim 9 above further including a counter-current heatexchanger disposed between the mixer circuit and the heater means forinterchanging thermal energy between return flow from the thermal loadsystem and the flow from the mixer circuit. 20) A thermal control unitas set forth in claim 11 above, further including a pressurizationregulation circuit including a source of cooling fluid, a thermal heatexchanger in contact with the condenser, a pressure transducerresponsive to the output of the compressor, and valve controlsresponsive to the compressor output pressure for controlling the flow offluid through the heat exchanger so as to stabilize the output pressurefrom the compressor. 21) A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 18above, further including a subcooler providing a counter-current heatexchange between return flows from the thermal load unit and outgoingflows of condensate from the condenser; a desuperheater valve responsiveto the input pressure to the compressor and disposed to shunt a portionof the condensed input to the subcooler to the return input to thesubcooler; a hot gas bypass valve shunting the output of the compressorto the input of the compressor; and a close on rise valve responsive tothe pressure in the return line to the compressor from the thermal loadunit for restricting the level of the input pressure to the compressorunit. 22) A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 11 above, whereinthe first path and the second path each include solenoid valves incircuit with the expansion valve and the proportional valverespectively, for providing rapid opening and closing of the flow paths.23) A thermal control unit as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein thesystem combines the flows in the first path and second path to provide arange of pressure and enthalpy values in which a liquefaction zoneexists, and the unit further includes a thermal control for adjustingthe pressure and enthalpy of the refrigerant such that shifts in thepressure and enthalpy values occur both within and outside theliquefaction zone.